Life is All Little Moments
by Pon Pon Pocky
Summary: A bunch of Shakarian drabbles, many based off of prompts. Some short, some long. Hope you enjoy!
1. Chapter 1- Beaches

Beaches

Prompt: Unpromted

Genre: Angst

* * *

His pain seemed to just completely dissipate when he saw her striding up to him, all confidence and swagger as if she hadn't just been, as far as he'd known, dead. Hell, there wasn't even a scratch on her. Leave it to Commander Fuckin' Shepard to send all the Reapers to their death without even so much as breaking a nail.

She stopped at some point in front of him, crossing her arms and dipping a hip, fixing him with a confident smirk. "Hey."

Garrus' mandibles flared a little…he couldn't help but smile back a bit. "Hey." he responded, shifting a bit. It felt uncomfortable, but not painful. It was like he couldn't even feel the bullet wound in his side that he'd been sure would end him. Seemed she had that affect on him. Took all his pain away with just one glance.

"Thought you were dead, Shepard."

She said nothing, gave a lazy shrug of her shoulders. "Easier than I thought it'd be. You look like hell, though."

He barked out a little laugh. Why did it feel so uncomfortable? He shifted again, holding his hand to his bullet wound tighter. "Yeah…but if you're here, I think I can make it through."

She looked a little sad at that. Shepard changed her stance and held out a hand to him, to help him up. He just shook his head.

"I don't think I can stand right now." he murmured quietly. "Might want to find a medic or maybe Chakwas."

A sad sigh passed her lips and she shook her head as well, hand moving closer. "It'll feel better if you stand. I promise." There was some sort of note in her voice, one he didn't like…as if she knew something he didn't and was sorry for it.

Though he didn't believe what she was saying, he did trust her implicitly, so he reached out and took her hand.

She pulled him to his feet, and there was no pain…instead, he did feel better, the discomfort from before gone. She clutched his hand tightly, and he looked down to see where their hands were intertwined.

And then he noticed that the blue blood that had been there before was gone.

She was giving him a sad look with a sad, apologetic smile, so uncharacteristic of her, and he knew. He turned his head to look, just to make sure.

There he was. The body battered, broken, blood still oozing from the wound, no longer held back by the limp hand slumped over it. No breath moved its chest, and its eyes were dulled, staring forever at the place where Shepard now stood, though now he knew that nobody would ever see her.

"Ah."

Shepard just nodded, squeezing his hand tighter. "Sorry, Garrus…I wasn't able to make it back. Or else I might have…" She took a deep breath, though such a thing was no longer necessary. "I might have been here in time…"

He turned to look back at her and, using her hand in his, pulled her against him, holding her in a tight embrace. He wasn't angry, or upset, though he supposed he should have been, but he wasn't alone, she was with him, and they'd completed their mission.

"I don't think I would have been able to stand retirement anyways." he joked, mandibles fluttering at the sound of her laugh. "Too dull after all this."

He pulled back just enough to touch his forehead to hers, a gesture that she returned, her eyes closing for a moment as they enjoyed it. As long as they had one another, it would all work out.

"Now, c'mon…" he whispered softly, squeezing her hand. "Drinks are on me." That prompted a smile, and he pulled away.

They walked hand-in-hand towards a path that hadn't been there before.

Maybe there were tropical beaches in Heaven, too.


	2. Chapter 2- Breathtaking

Breathtaking

Prompt: "Breathtaking"

Genre: General

* * *

"Scoped and dropped!"

Shepard ducked behind cover and looked to her right, where her right-hand man (and lover) was inserting a new thermal clip into his rifle with one fluid, practiced motion that was more subconcious now than otherwise. In moments, the scope was up to his sharp eye again, his talon on the trigger.

He moved a fraction of a centimeter to the right, the shift almost imperceptible to the untrained eye. His talon slowly squeezed the trigger, nearly caressing it, and, out of the corner of her eye over the side of the barrier she was hidden behind, she could see a Phantom's head explode in a red mist.

Garrus' mandibles widened in a smirk as he moved to sight another target. "Scratch one!" His thumb rubbed over the barrel of his beloved gun in a way that made her shudder.

Ego aside, Garrus hadn't been lying.

He really could make a gun dance.


	3. Chapter 3- Going Loco

Going Loco

Prompt: "Garrus has a... conversation with James about his flirting with Shepard."

Genre: General

* * *

"Vega."

James turned to find a very familiar Turian standing behind him. It seemed like Garrus was…tense, but James knew nothing about Turians, so he couldn't be sure.

"'Sup, Scars?"

Garrus tilted his head towards the middle of the cargo bay. "I'm looking for a sparring partner. You up for some hand to hand?"

Odd. As far as James knew, Garrus didn't spar with anyone besides Shepard. He wasn't about to turn down a fight, though, especially with someone of a different species. It was good to be well-rounded.

"Sure." He headed to the open area and dropped into a combat stance. Garrus said nothing, his mandibles tight against his mouth as he stalked to the opposite side. They both stood for a few seconds, absolutely silent, neither moving.

_'The hell…?'_ James' eyebrows drew together in confusion. Instead of questioning it, he decided to try throwing the first punch. He threw a left towards Garrus' shoulder, intending to make him stumble. Garrus, using his opponent's momentum against him, moved to the side and jabbed an elbow into James' back, nearly sending the human to the ground. James swung back around on the ball of his foot, having to rapidly put up his arms to block the onslaught of Garrus' jabs.

"What do you think about Shepard, Vega?" Garrus snarled, a tone that sent warning bells through James again. He took advantage of an opening between Garrus' jabs and swung his fist forward. Garrus grabbed his wrist and, in one smooth motion, both pulled James' arm behind his back and had the human up against the crate he'd been using his jabs to push them towards. This wasn't a simple sparring match, and James knew it now.

"What the hell is this about, Scars!?"

"Do you think she's easy? Or did you not realize she already has someone?" Garrus growled close. James was somewhat afraid he'd get eaten. But the second Garrus asked his third question, James knew what was going on. He stilled, craning his head backwards.

"Wait…is this about me flirting with Lola?"

Garrus' wordless snarl was all James needed.

"Whoa, whoa, no need to go all loco! It's just friendly flirting! Y'know…between friends? I even flirt with Esteban!"

Garrus' grip on his wrist eased a bit, but he was still acting all growl-y.

"Listen, Scars, the Commander's not even my type. Even if she was, it wouldn't matter. She's only got eyes for you, believe me."

Garrus finally eased off of him and James turned around, rubbing at his wrist. Even over his tanned skin, it was starting to redden. Man had a grip like iron.

Garrus was looking away now, suddenly a bit…sheepish? Maybe James was getting better at reading Turians than he thought.

"Turians don't, ah…have 'friendly flirting'. I sort of assumed…"

He looked at James' wrist, his mandibles clicking nervously. "…Sorry. I don't usually lose it like that…"

James shook his head. "Nah, man, it's cool. But you owe me a sparring session when you're not, y'know…loco. Gives you an unfair advantage."

Garrus grinned. "Ha. I was going easy on you then. Was barely even trying."

James laughed and patted Garrus on the shoulder before moving back to his station.

Okay, so maybe he'd lied about Shepard not being his type, but like hell was he going to let Garrus know that.


	4. Chapter 4- It's a Miracle

It's a Miracle

Prompt: "The first time Garrus notices that Shepard actually does have fish in her ginormous fish tank."

Genre: Humor

* * *

Shepard heard the door to her quarters slide open and could tell exactly who it was by the sound of his footfalls. The information that Garrus was pretty much the only one to ever be bold enough to come up to her quarters without her calling for him first helped with that.

So, knowledge firmly in place, she didn't even bother to look up from the datapad filled with war statistics while she sat on her bed.

It wasn't until she'd realized that Garrus had stopped walking and yet wasn't right in front of her that she did move her eyes upwards.

Garrus was standing in front of her fishtank, staring at the Thessian Sunfish, Bellan Jellyfish, and the lone Khar'shan Snapping Eel that she'd bought on a dare.

"Garrus?"

"We haven't been to the Citadel in a week."

Shepard raised an eyebrow and set the datapad down at her side, leaning back on her hands. "Yeah…"

"How the hell did you get these fish?"

Shepard was taken aback by the question.

"I…got them when we were at the Citadel last…y'know, from that Kanala Exports place…" she stated slowly, worried that her Turian boyfriend was losing his mind.

He turned to her, mandibles spread wide in surprise. "And they're _alive?_"

There was a long pause as Shepard tried to register the words Garrus had just uttered. When she had, her eyes narrowed and she leaned forward again, frowning. "Yeah, they're alive. Why the hell wouldn't they be?"

Garrus' mandibles fluttered and he turned his head, scratching nervously at his scars.

Shepard's eyes narrowed a bit more. "Garrus…"

"You, uh…had a bit of a reputation back on the Collector mission…" he stuttered, gaze flickering to her glare and away as he shifted from foot to foot. It was good to see that she could still make him nervous when she wanted to. She said nothing, waiting for him to expound upon that little tidbit.

"You know…about how your fish generally didn't last a few days or so before kicking it…"

Shepard sighed. "_Joker…_" She'd been trying to keep that a secret. Commander Fucking Shepard couldn't be known for not being able to take care of a couple of fish. If she couldn't keep some simple lifeforms alive, how was she supposed to keep her crew and team alive?

Joker, of course, didn't think about these sorts of things. Perhaps it was time to break out the itching powder and sprinkle a bit in his uniform.

"It was a stressful mission."

"_This_ is a stressful mission." Garrus countered, a little less nervous. "And those are some pretty picky fish…"

Shepard looked away, the positions now reversed. She nearly gave into her habit to chew her lip when she was nervous.

"Shepard…" Shepard shot Garrus a glare, noting that he didn't even try to hide his amusement at the turned tables. Smug jerk.

"I have a VI, okay?" she grumbled. Garrus just laughed.


	5. Chapter 5- Nice View

Nice View

Prompt: "Butts."

Genre: Humor

* * *

Shepard rarely took sniping duty: That was generally the resident Turian's job. But, since Tali was out of comission, Garrus was the only one that'd be able to get the information they needed from the terminals. So, Shepard had found a high spot to scope from while James had taken cover near Garrus to keep an eye on what Shepard couldn't.

They hadn't really expected any more fighting, though. Far as she could tell, they'd wiped out all of the Cerberus troops inhabiting the facility.

So was it really her fault when the scope 'accidentally' landed and zoomed in on Garrus' ass?

"Uh…Lola?"

"What, James?"

"Mind turning off your comm if you're going to be making noises like that? I don't think I can concentrate on killing anything if you keep doing it."

Shepard flushed, scrambling for words, when she heard Garrus' amused chuckle. He moved slightly, now in better view of the scope. "Is that 'a little to the left' enough, Shepard?" he teased.

Shepard was determined to make him regret that when they returned to the ship.


	6. Chapter 6- Baby It's Cold Outside

Baby It's Cold Outside

Prompt: "Imagine your OTP walking home at night after a romantic date and person B gets chilly, so person A gives them their coat."

Genre: General

* * *

In Garrus's opinion, winter on Earth was worse than any time on Noveria. For one, he didn't have his insulated armor to keep most of the cold off of him. Two, it was night, so there wasn't even the sun to keep him even slightly heated. Why had he thought it'd be a good idea to treat Shepard to a nice dinner on one of the coldest days of the year?

He shuddered, rubbing his arms through his multiple layers of clothing, mandibles clacking in discomfort. Shepard, with her hands jammed into her pockets, look up from where she was striding beside him.

"Having fun there, big guy?" she teased with a playful smirk.

"Oh so much." he drawled, and was a bit annoyed by her laugh, though only a bit. He enjoyed their banter and exchanged insults, even when she was the one teasing him.

"You're always such a whiner when it comes to low temperatures."

"I'm not exactly warm blooded like you humans…" Garrus trailed off, just now noticing that Shepard was removing her jacket. "What are you-?"

He was cut off by her throwing it to him. He caught it, glad that his gloves kept his talons from slicing through the poofy fabric.

"There. Unlike a certain crybaby lizard, I can handle a bit of windchill."

His mandibles went slack. He was always surprised when she risked her own discomfort just so he wouldn't have to feel uncomfortable.

If Turians could blush, he'd be doing just that.

"Y'know, this won't exactly fit me."

"Take the damn jacket and stop complaining, Vakarian."

It was Shepard's turn to be surprised when Garrus stopped her and forced the jacket back onto her. She let him, so far as Garrus could tell, because you couldn't make Shepard do something she didn't want to when she really wanted to not do it.

"It won't fit me, but it'll fit you. And since you fit me…"

He tugged her gently against his side, positioning her arm around his waist in a way that wouldn't make it difficult for them to walk.

"There. I'm feeling a lot better already."

Shepard smiled and shook her head, but Garrus noticed the light blush that appeared on her cheeks.

"You're insufferable."

"Yeah, but you love me for it."

"I suppose I do."


	7. Chapter 7- What Has Cooking Done?

What Has Cooking Done?

Prompt: "Imagine your OTP deciding to make dinner at home instead of ordering in for once, and ending up laughing helplessly on the floor and covered in flour, tomato sauce, and a couple of eggs."

Genre: Humor

* * *

Many would say that the scariest thing they'd ever seen was the Reapers. Some might say Husks, or Cannibals, or perhaps Banshees (Shepard could remember feeling the worst shudders of fear whenever she hard that telltale shriek).

But what was in the Shepard-Vakarian household's kitchen topped both Shepard and Garrus' list of horrible nightmares.

"Holy shit! Shepard, shoot it!"

"I don't have a fucking gun!"

"Then stab it! Blast it with your biotics! Just _kill it_ before it gets us!"

Finally reminded that she did have biotics, Shepard felt the burn of her amp in her skull as she blasted the thing with a small shockwave. The mass of…something just let out a little screech as it started to deflate and then suddenly exploded, spattering the Human and the Turian standing there with red and green and something sort of blue.

Shepard took a shaky step forward, towards the frying pan where the misshapen blob creature had once been, now just a mess of what had once been ingredients of some sort. Garrus peeked out from behind the chair he'd been hiding around.

"Is it…is it still moving?"

Shepard took another step closer, readying her biotics in case the mixture so much as twitched, and poked it with the end of a spoon. It didn't move.

"No, no, I think…yeah, it's dead."

Garrus let out a sigh of relief, wiping some of the remains from his mandible.

"Shepard, you are never, EVER cooking again."

"For once, I agree."


	8. Chapter 8- A Gun Beneath Her Pillow

A Gun Beneath Her Pillow

Prompt: "Imagine your OTP trying to adapt to an ordinary, mundane life after having seen so many extraordinary, terrifying, wonderful things others can't really relate to—at least they have each other."

Genre: Angst(ish)

* * *

The nightmares were the worst part. Garrus and Shepard both suffered from them nearly every night. They were used to them at this point…one or the other would likely wake up in a complete panic, and they'd end up waking the other on accident. Then they'd either hold each other until they fell back asleep, or they'd sit out on the porch, watching the ocean and the sky and reminiscing.

Shepard still kept a Carnifex beneath her pillow.

And one in the kitchen cabinet.

And one in the umbrella holder near the door. And one in her boots in the closet. And one under a loose floorboard under the porch. And multiple others stashed any place she could put them. She was never comfortable without a gun within reach.

Garrus still wore his visor, though there really was no longer any use for it. He got odd stares from people whenever he was in the grocery store, or just out on a walk with Shepard.

Nearly shooting someone was normal. Often times, they'd order out, and then Garrus would hide upstairs, rifle trained on the delivery boy in case he was actually a merc in disguise trying to kill them.

Movement outside on the beach would put the both of them on alert, even if it was just a squirrel or something dashing across the sand.

Shepard got twitchy whenever there was somebody in the house that hadn't been a part of her crew.

Garrus often accidentally injured people whenever they were walking too close behind him.

The Alliance had suggested that Shepard go to a psychologist, but she'd disliked the idea greatly. It was one thing to deal with PTSD…it was another to deal with having been dead, coming back to life, being completely distrusted and then going through the war and nearly dying again. Garrus had gotten the same suggestion from his sister, but he'd just refused.

The best thing for them both was each other. The only time things felt normal, that they were both calm, was when they were with one another, sitting and drinking and joking around. Shepard smiled and Garrus laughed.

Occasionally, they mourned those they'd lost all over again.

But it was over. And, maybe someday, they'd get used to not constantly having to guard their backs, or having to save the galaxy when nobody was cooperating. But until that day, Garrus had Shepard's six and Shepard had Garrus's, and that's all that mattered.


	9. Chapter 9- A Few Last Moments

A Few Last Moments

Prompt: "Imagine your OTP involved in an epic life-or-death battle that determines the fate of the universe. They lose."

Genre: Angst

* * *

Garrus didn't know how he knew that the debris that plummeted from just above that atmosphere was important, he just did. Just like how he knew that the wounds all over his body, his armor little more than a twisted, melted mess that stifled his movement, meant that he wasn't going to last long.

He blew the head off of a Marauder as he shuffled towards the crater, mandibles fluttering as he used the last of his medigel to stave off the pain.

Then there it was, pieces of the Citadel laying in a fiery, deformed by the impact and the heat to be barely recognizable. And within it, he saw charred N7 armor and twitching fingers.

"Shep…" he managed, voice cracking and pain radiating through his chest as he tried to speak. The closer he got, the more her mangled body came into view. It broke his heart to see her like that. Even worse: she was conscious, her breath hitching as she saw him.

"G-Garrus…"

His pistol slipped from his fingers and he collapsed beside her. She tried to lift her arm, but the strength wasn't there, so he so very carefully turned her face to his, ignoring the one eye swollen shut, the burnt patches of skin and the busted lips, and pressed his forehead to hers, sub-vocals warbling in distress.

"I'm sorry, I…nng…I wasn't able to…"

"Shhh…it's..it's okay Shepard."

A tear rolled down her cheek. It was the second time he'd seen her cry. It would also be the last.

"The crucible…it di…it didn't work, I-I couldn't stop the Reapers…"

His hand went to her most intact one, holding her tight.

"You did y-your best. You…did more than anyone else could have been able to."

"…I wanted to retire with you, Garrus…a nice house on a tropical beach. One with a really…fuck…big gun for you to spend your time calibrating."

Garrus let out a stilted laugh, sputtering curses when the movement shifted his injured plates painfully. At least it drew a smile from the woman beside him.

"And a room for all your model ships."

Shepard wheezed and coughed, using the last of her strength to lean against him.

"Yeah…yeah…"

Despite all the gunfire, the screaming and the shrieks of Banshees going on around them, Garrus just heard the blessed silence around them. He didn't think about how they'd failed, about how everyone, their friends and family, would soon be gone, wiped out by the Reapers. He just thought about the woman beside him, the one who had died and been resurrected, who had defeated the Collectors and had the Reapers running scared for the first time in their many cycles of extermination, the one slowly going limp and quiet against him as his vision darkened.

"I love you Shepard…" he whispered one last time, tightening his grip on her hand as the life left him, so that they wouldn't ever be apart again.


	10. Chapter 10- There She Is

There She Is

Prompt: "Imagine your OTP playing Peek-a-Boo with their baby."

Genre: Family

* * *

"Whherree'sss Ophelia? There she is!"

Shepard's lips curled into a smile as the happy squeals of a baby reached her ears, a good first sound to hear when returning from a mission. She hated leaving home, especially now that she had Varius and Ophelia. But she was still a Spectre, and while she did have a LOT of pull on which missions she could choose to go on (it was about time), people still needed help, and despite the fact that she'd done more for everyone in one lifetime than she should ever have had to, she couldn't just leave things to work themselves out.

She set her bag down quietly and padded around to the kitchen, peeking in to see Ophelia, with the red curls of hair bouncing as she moved in her high chair, and Garrus sitting there, facing her, with his hands over his eyes.

"Wheerrree's Ophelia? There she is!" he repeated, pulling his hands away, much to Ophelia's delight. The little human girl giggled, muttering a stream of nonsense sounds as she reached for Garrus's mandibles. He let her grab them, keeping her from bending them too far. "That's my girl." he cooed.

Shepard waited and watched for a moment more before sneaking up behind her lover and putting her hands over his eyes. Ophelia squealed once again when noticing her mother, reaching her chubby hands out to her. "Where's Shepard?" she teased, and when Garrus pulled her hands away and turned to look at her, he grinned.

"Well well…there she is. Welcome home."


	11. Chapter 11- Taking One For the Team

Taking One For The Team

Prompt: "One of them bakes something, much to the surprise of the other."

Genre: Humor, Family

* * *

Shepard awoke to the sound of giggling near her ear. This didn't frighten her particularly…sometimes the children would wake before she did (it was rare, but it happened), but what did frighten her was the amused shushing of an adult Turian just as nearby.

It meant Garrus had gotten up before she had (an even rarer event). It also meant he'd been the one to round up the kids and bring them to her bedside.

This meant she was in for hell this morning.

A few deep breaths through the nose to calm herself, and then she began to slowly open her eyes.

Four small faces peered at her: a turian, krogan, and two human, each wearing a huge, excited smile. A little further up was their trouble-making Turian father in question, wearing a shit-eating grin if she ever saw one. Oh, this was going to hurt…

"Happy birthday, Mommy!" the kids shouted in unison, so close to Shepard that she cringed. The smile that came after was genuine though, despite the…loud wake up call. Someone not acquainted with Garrus would probably think that was it, but Shepard knew…she was waiting for the other shoe to drop.

"Wow…did you guys get up so early just to wish me happy birthday?" she asked, moving to sit up. Little Andy, the youngest human of their brood, climbed his way onto the bed to hug her. Not to be outdone, Rose and Ophelia, the krogan and other human respectively, climbed up too. Varius, their oldest, stayed respectfully to the side. Shepard knew he would perhaps feel a bit left out, so, once she'd freed it, she offered out her arm to pull him a bit closer.

"Thank you." she murmured, giving each a kiss.

"Don't forget about her surprise, kids." Garrus interrupted, mandibles fluttering in a way that Shepard knew meant 'I am going to love this but Shepard isn't and it'll be hilarious'. With various exclamations of remembrance, the children all scrambled off of her, grabbing something off of the nightstand. Rose got the honor of presenting Shepard a cupcake. Well, what looked like a cupcake.

It was oddly shaped, more like a mushroom than a baked good, lumpier than a moon pock-marked with craters, and had multiple burnt spots. It was also a strange green color, but years of being a superior officer allowed Shepard to hide her surprise and the fear she felt suddenly welling up in her.

"…Aren't you going to eat your birthday cake, Shepard?" Garrus asked, and the children nodded, looking at her with those big, wide, innocent eyes begging for approval.

"We all worked very hard on it." Ophelia pointed out.

"Yummy for birfday." Andy elaborated eloquently, sticking his fingers in his mouth while still watching his mother expectantly.

Shepard's eyes went to Garrus, who was looking so amused and pleased with himself despite knowing that he was going to get hell for this later. Then they went to the cupcake. She swallowed. She'd survived Gardner's cooking…she could survive this, right?

"Thank you. It looks…delicious." Shepard took the cupcake and, after a second of hesitation, steeled herself, and bit down. If she was going to die, no use half-assing it by nibbling.

She steeled herself for something absolutely terrible, but was surprised to find that it was…pretty good. A bit crunchy in places and a little odd, but sweet. Shepard chewed in surprise, swallowing as she tried to place the taste.

"Wow…this is really good. You all made this by yourselves?"

There were excited nods. "Daddy helped."

Right in front of them, Shepard finished off the whole thing, which obviously pleased her offspring. "That was pleasant. But it's not fair that I'm the only one that gets to eat cake for breakfast…what do you say we go out and buy one that everyone can enjoy?"

The excited squeals were all the answer she needed, and she ushered them off to get ready. The second they were out of hearing range, Garrus started laughing and Shepard punched him in the shoulder. "You jackass…using them to get to me. How'd you do it?"

Garrus continued to laugh. "Food coloring and a little too much flour. I don't think I've seen you that afraid since Kelly decided you needed 'hug therapy'!"

Shepard shuddered at the mere mention of the event, pushing it from her mind. "Well, enjoy this victory while you can, Vakarian, because after we finish the cake, I'm going out shopping with Liara…and you're staying here with four kids hyped up on sugar."

Garrus's laughter faded fast. "Whoa now, Shepard, let's not be too hasty…"

Shepard chortled as she headed for the shower. It was shaping up to be a very happy birthday after all.


	12. Chapter 12- Just a Dream

Just a Dream

Prompt: "Imagine Person B of your OTP dreaming about Person A."

Genre: Angst

* * *

"…Damn, this is nice."

"Hm?" Garrus opened his eyes sleepily as Shepard turned to face him, automatically adjusting his arm so that she wouldn't be uncomfortable. His mandibles fluttered as she ran a hand over the plates on his chest, before resting her forehead on the edge of his carapace.

"This is…nice. Having you here. You keep me sane."

Garrus could have made a joke then, it wouldn't have been unusual. But Shepard's tone told him that she was being completely serious, open in a way she never was with anybody else. The fact that she trusted him enough to let him see that part of her made his heart swell, and he moved his head to nuzzle the top of hers.

"Me too. Honestly, Shepard, those last two years without you…they were hell. And it wasn't until you came back that I knew how bad you not being around was."

She pulled her head away enough to look him in the eyes. He was somewhat wishing he had his visor on…at the very least he could read her vitals and make a guess about what she was thinking while those eyes of her searched his face.

Finally, she sighed, looking guilty.

"Sorry, Garrus…"

"For what? Dying? Shepard, that wasn't your fault. That was the Collectors. And I think eradicating them completely was good enough for my revenge. And you're back…I couldn't ask for anything more."

He pulled her a bit closer, and she yielded to him while he ran his talons through her hair, admiring the long strands.

"I have my best friend back. Shooting the shit with others just wasn't the same as it was with you. I didn't have anybody to berate for beating up a Mako and giving me more work."

Shepard laughed, a musical sound that he had missed for so long. She hadn't laughed much when she'd saved him on Omega, and even her smiles rarely reached her eyes. She'd had such a hard time getting over her revival, over the Alliance's claims that she'd betrayed them, over Kaidan…he was somewhat proud to see that he'd been the one to bring her smile and her laugh back.

"And this little arrangement doesn't throw a wrench in that?"

Garrus smiled, mandibles spreading wide. "You're worrying over that now? I think it's a little too late."

She chuckled again, and he echoed her. "No. It doesn't. I wouldn't give up what we have for anything. Even the surprisingly good sex."

The woman who could do anything propped herself up on an elbow and arched and eyebrow at him. "'Surprisingly'? What, did you think it was going to be some horrible experience?"

"You're telling me that you didn't think there'd be a lot of fumbling and frustration?"

"There WAS a lot of fumbling and frustration."

"Yeah, but I always knew what I was doing."

Shepard hit his shoulder, but she was grinning.

"Ass."

"You know you like it."

She shook her head and pressed herself against him, finding that one spot on his carapace where her head fit almost perfectly. He traced a talon along her spine.

"It's hard to hate you when I love you so much."

Garrus stilled, the words echoing in his head. He hadn't wanted to put words to that feeling he got whenever he just looked at her, or whenever she'd tease him. Hadn't wanted to hope too much…and there she'd gone and just used them. He suddenly pulled her closer against him, holding her tight, unable to get enough of her soft skin against his plates or her scent or the way her hair spilled against his arm.

"Shepard, I…I lo-"

"Vakarian, you've got Marauders to kill."

Garrus stopped, pulling away to look at her. "What…?"

"Vakarian!"

Garrus was shaken awake, his mandibles flaring in surprise as he came to and searched around the makeshift building, seeing only one other Turian in front of him. He heard blaring klaxons, the ever-present sound of gunfire and shouting.

Menae. He was on Menae. The Reapers were here, Palaven was burning. He had no clue where Shepard even was.

"Sorry sir, but General Victus is asking for your expertise. He said to bring your guns and get ready to beat in some plates."

Garrus shook slightly, running a hand over his face to wake himself up a bit more. A dream, of course.

"…Sir?"

"Yeah, I'll be right there."

He followed the other Turian out, but stopped once he could see the sky. He spared one glance towards Palaven, nearly all red, before glancing in the opposite direction, towards the distant stars.

_'Spirits, please…let her be okay.'_


	13. Chapter 13- Only Human

Prompt: Unprompted

Genre: Comfort

Warning!: This bit only has a bit of Shakarian mentioned. Just a little heads-up!

* * *

Jeff loved the emptiness of space tinged by the slight blue created by FTL travel. It was his favorite view in the world, especially now, when otherwise, all he'd be seeing was death and destruction and Reapers.

Sometimes, though, even he needed a break.

So, Joker had given EDI the reigns and hobbled down to the lounge for a drink. It was late into the cycle, and if the crew members weren't sleeping, they were at their workstations busying themselves so that they wouldn't have to think. He let out a breath and ran a hand over his face, rubbing at his eyes as the door pinged and slid open. He stepped out of its way and it closed behind him, and it was then that he noticed he wasn't alone.

Shepard was standing near the large window, one arm up and resting against the glass, with her forehead pressed against it. She was staring out into the inky blackness, completely unaware of his entry.

It struck him just then how old she really looked.

Her body was slumped, not at all like the straight-backed Commander he usually saw around the ship, her whole body giving off a worn-down and broken look. Her weight was shifted to one leg, while the other barely had any on it at all. Medigel had only been able to do so much for her leg after it had taken a bad hit two days ago on Thessia, and now only time could heal the rest. He could barely see her eyes from where she was standing, but what he could see were that they were dull, the spark that ordinarily resided there dimmed considerably. The dark circles under her eyes were a testament to how much sleep she missed.

Joker swallowed and shifted his weight, but that caused a bit of a sound and the woman in front of him slowly turned her head to look at him. Tiredly, she pulled away from the window and straightened up, but apparently couldn't muster much more of the 'Commander Fucking Shepard' aura.

"Sorry, Commander, didn't realize you were in here…" he started, backing away. Shepard held up her hand and shook her head.

"It's alright. You don't need to leave, I just…I was just thinking."

They both stood there awkwardly. The fight that had happened between them was still pretty fresh, and they really hadn't spoken to one another beyond her giving him the coordinates for their destination. It was the first time they'd been so…well, snappy with one another.

"Joker, listen…I'm sorry I snapped at you after…after Thessia." Shepard said slowly, breaking the silence. The tension that had been there left Joker's shoulders and they slumped.

"Yeah, I'm sorry too. I've been on edge with, y'know…"

"The Reapers."

He nodded. "Yeah. They seem to have a habit of killing everyone's buzz." He realized that perhaps this wasn't the time to be joking (again), but rather than her snapping at him (again), she just gave him a weary smile. "Yeah."

She sat down on the couch and Joker, after grabbing himself a beer, followed her and sat on the opposite end. The silence this time was more companionable, as they both watched the stars go by.

Minutes passed until Shepard leaned forward, elbows on her knees and head hung down again, her hair hiding her face.

"I'm not human, am I, Joker?"

The lip of the bottle stopped halfway to Jeff's mouth when the words registered, and he turned his head to her to stare in shock. Since he didn't answer, she continued.

"I can't be, right? I'm just some…VI. Android built to look and act like Commander Shepard."

His eyebrows knitted together as he lifted the beer to his lips and took a sip for courage.

"I think Chakwas would be able to tell you that you're not an android."

Shepard let out a dry, humorless laugh and shook her head. "It wouldn't be hard to fake human parts, what with all my cybernetics. It's got to be more possible than resurrection. And even if I was resurrected…they must have gotten something wrong."

Joker put the bottle down and his frown deepened. "All due respect, Commander…but what the hell are you talking about?"

She looked up this time, eyes staring towards the window again, darkened with what must have been grief. "Three billion on Palaven. Three point six billion on Earth. Countless millions in the colonies. Thousands on the Citadel. Thessia." She paused, her eyes down-turned, her hands clasping each other so tightly that her knuckles went white. "Thane. Legion. Mordin."

Joker could see it. He could see that each and every one of those people, the sheer numbers of the dead and dying, weighed on her shoulders. She blamed herself for them. For every single person she couldn't save. How she could even go on with that…guilt, he didn't know.

"If they had gotten it right…if I were the real Commander Shepard, I wouldn't have allowed this. Mordin and Legion and Thane…they wouldn't be dead. So many people wouldn't be dead."

Joker knew that he, of all people, was just as guilty as the next person of putting Shepard on a pedestal as some paragon of the universe, able to do anything and defeat anyone, even the Reapers. He'd been with her through Saren, Cerberus and the Collectors, and even now, he was willing to follow her to his very death. But it wasn't until right then, at this very moment, that he saw what EDI had seen.

They had been conversing about Shepard, shortly after the spat. He'd said something along the lines of "She's got to save the whole galaxy, she can't let Thessia's loss break her down". EDI had gone silent, processing what he'd just said, and then had turned away from him, returning to her terminal.

"Shepard is only human." she'd almost whispered.

Jane Shepard was only human, and she was looked to as the savior of all life in the universe. Everything rode on her decisions, one wrong call would cause the death of millions. And yet, somehow, she hadn't complained, hadn't broken down. Thessia had been the closest she'd ever gotten, at least that he'd seen. He felt guilt for buying into her apparent invincibility, both in body and mind.

He leaned back, trying to look at ease even though he was anything but. He rested his arms along the back of the couch. "I think I can prove that they didn't get anything wrong."

Shepard turned to look at him, one eyebrow raised in a silent signal for him to continue.

"Presley. Ashley. Akuze. All those people died under your command." Her expression changed to one of anger, so he spoke quickly so that she could get his point. "And that wasn't because of mistakes. It was just the way things were. We couldn't have outrun the Collector Ship. You had to choose between Ashely or Kaidan, there was no saving them both. You couldn't have known about the Thresher Maws. If you're saying that you're broken because you can't save everyone, then you've always been broken."

The anger faded from her face, and he turned to her, completely serious. "There are things we can't change, and there are people we can't save. That's war. It fucking sucks, but I think being annihilated without a fight sucks more. You're not a god Commander, you're just one human. And what you have done? The number you _have_ saved? Well, it's pretty damn impressive."

Silence again, as Shepard seemed to take in his words, analyzing them. When she cocked one side of her lips in a smirk after ten long, long minutes, some of that spark that so defined her was back in her eyes.

"Why, Joker, I didn't take you for a motivational speaker."

Joker returned the smirk, tipping his hat a bit. "What can I say? I'm a master of many trades."

She laughed, and it was one of the greatest sounds he had ever heard. Truly, ever since Alchera, he'd felt completely useless. He'd felt that Shepard's death was his fault, that he'd been the one to ensure her demise in the cold, unforgiving expanse of space. But finally, finally, he felt he'd done something right by her. He'd given her whatever reassurance she'd needed, and, for the first time in over two years, he was proud of himself.

"Don't you think you should be getting to bed, Shepard? The big guy'd flay me if he knew you'd been awake, speaking to me. And then he'd nag you to death."

Shepard's eyes widened theatrically, though there was a bit of dread in them. "He wouldn't…shit, he really would. Ugh, I honestly don't think I could take another lecture about having to take better care of myself…"

Joker carefully waved a hand to dismiss her. "Shoo, then. His shift's almost over, and I don't think even calibrations could keep him away from checking to make sure you're following orders."

Shepard laughed, but she was quick to stand up and move around the couch. Before she left, she gently placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed, not too hard, but just enough so he could feel it.

"Thanks, Jeff."

"Mhm." She shot him a smile, before she left. He waited until he heard the doors close before he picked up his beer again, finishing it off.

And watched the blackness of space go by with a small, proud smile.


	14. Chapter 14- Crooning

Prompt: "Drunk, protective Garrus, singing and crooning to Femshep. Bonus points if Garrus is a good singer and Shepard hadn't known it until then."

Genre: Fluff

* * *

There was something soothing about taking apart a gun an cleaning every single piece, even the tiniest ones, until each part was polished to perfection, inside and out. It was something Shepard had always done when she wanted to lose herself in the monotony and repetitive actions that caused her to just stop thinking altogether.

She found she did it a whole lot more now that war was raging all across the galaxy. Now, though, she usually had a partner up in her cabin with her, polishing and maintaining his own guns, but ever since Ken and Gabby had started up a game of 'Drunken Skyllian Five' in the Normandy's lounge, most of the crew, including her Turian lover, had gotten caught up in the impromptu party. Shepard had been there, mingled a bit and played a game or two, though she'd been banned after it had been discovered by the crew members that had never played with her before that Shepard never lost a game of Skyllian Five.

She didn't mind, though, because as much as she enjoyed the company of the people on the ship, the war was weighing heavily on her, and she'd just needed some time to herself.

So, she lounged back in the couch in nothing more than a tank-top and her skivvies, feeling the need for air on her skin (recycled though it was), curled up a bit on her couch with a slightly dirty polishing rag and various parts laid out on the table in front of her in her cabin.

Shepard didn't lift her head when she heard the cabin's door open and heavy footsteps enter, just as he was beginning to clear the debris from the thermal-clip port. Only one person ever entered her cabin unannounced and walked right in, considering he lived there part time. From the slightly uneven gait, the woman could tell that Garrus was at least a bit tipsy.

She chuckled, watching out of the corner of her eye as he stumbled to sit next to her. She figured that would be it, that he'd quietly watch her work like usual, and was surprised to find his arms moving around her, gripping her tight and then lifting her.

"Garrus, what the...!"

Suddenly, she was plunked right between his legs, and he pulled her back against him, arms curling around her body and holding her just a bit too tightly. She tried to move her head to look up at him, but he buried his face against the crook of her neck, humming against her skin.

Some might be worried if their lover was unexpectedly so clingy, but it did nothing more than amuse Shepard. She freed up one of her hands and patted his arm.

"What's up?"

Garrus just hummed a little louder, rubbing his lip plates up and down her neck, mandibles fluttering intermittently. He moved up to her ear, nipping at it slightly, before snuffling at her hair. Shepard laughed and squirmed, but the Turian seemed to just hold her tighter.

"Garrus, c'mon, what is going on with you?"

Quite abruptly, he pulled his head away just a bit, and began to sing. If there were any words in it, the translator didn't pick them up. To Shepard, they seemed more like a series of chirps and whistles, but oddly more melodic than any earth bird's song.

One of his thumbs rubbed along her ribcage as he continued to sing to her, and Shepard found herself quite awestruck. It was nice...the notes accompanied by his subvocals creating something just so soothing and compelling. Before long, her gun and rag had been abandoned, and she had her eyes closed, leaning back against Garrus's chest as he continued to sing to her.

Many minutes later, the volume of his song had diminished, and began fading out every few seconds. It wasn't long until Garrus had fallen fast asleep, his head resting on top of hers, grip around her still tight. Shepard was a bit disappointed.

"Garrus?"

His grip shifted a bit and he grunted, but didn't otherwise stirr. Shepard sighed and shook her head, carefully extracting herself from his hold and pressing a kiss against his forehead. It took a lot of careful coaxing to get wake him just enough to get him into the bed, but it was done, and when Shepard was finished with her gun, she joined him.

In the morning, she'd ask him if he could sing for her more often. Worst coming to worst, she could probably just ask EDI for a copy of a recording the AI was sure to have.


	15. Chapter 15- Favorite Joke on the Citadel

Prompt: "I'm Garrus Vakarian, and this is my favorite spot on the Citadel!"

Genre: Humor

* * *

Tali giggled uncontrollably, partly aided by the half-drunk brandy sitting in front of her. Even Shepard couldn't hold back a few chuckles of her own, though she certainly wasn't as drunk as her helmeted-best friend.

"He actually said that?" Tali managed between giggles, turning back to face Shepard. She just nodded, placing an elbow on the bar and resting her head on her hand. "Yeah…he's got such an ego."

Tali snorted. "Yep, and guess what? Now you have to deal with it for the rest of your life." she teased good naturedly.

Shepard just grinned. "I think I'm just fine with that."


	16. Chapter 16- Interrogations

Prompt: Unprompted

Genre: Romance, Humor

* * *

"Okay, Shepard...tell us. What exactly is it about turians that gets you so hot and bothered?"

Shepard nearly choked on her brandy as she turned her eyes onto Jack, who was getting similar stares of disbelief from the rest of the women at the table, even Tali, who was still sipping her drink from the straw as if she didn't have to breathe.

"Got to admit, Skipper...I am sort of curious myself how you and Garrus went from really great friends to making eyes at each other the second you're both in the same room." Ashley mused after a second, blowing a few strands of hair from her face.

Shepard worked her jaw a bit and fought not to blush.

"That's not new." Tali piped in, no longer surgically attached to her straw, though that might have more to do with her glass being empty than her absolutely having to say something. "They were doing that when I joined in on the suicide mission. It started some time before that."

"Honestly, I thought they'd been screwing before they picked me up."

"Do we have to discuss this?" Shepard groaned, attempting to bury herself in the rest of her drink.

"Yes." the three girls agreed in unison, their gazes immediately locking onto Shepard. It felt like three Phantoms had their laser sights on her forehead.

She resisted the urge to sink down in her seat, but couldn't fight the blush any longer. She avoided their gazes, fiddling with her glass and trying to find the right words to satisfy them without embarrassing herself. Why did a small girls-night-out to catch up with Jack turn out to be a game of 'Interrogate Shepard on Her Choice of Romantic Partner'?

"It's not...turians, really." Shepard nearly mumbled. By the smirks (she couldn't see Tali's, but she could feel it), she could tell that the fact that she, Commander Fucking Shepard, was flustered amused them all to no end. She'd have to get them back sometime.

She tried to draw herself up to make it easier to speak.

"It's just Garrus. He's supportive, knows when to keep our private lives and our work separate, even if he's admitted once or twice that he worries about me."

She could feel a slight smile form on her lips. It felt nice to actually have someone really worry about HER, and yet still respect her decisions enough to not be insubordinate. Sure, there may have been a spat or two about how she didn't take care of herself, but that was always after the missions, and it only said how much he thought of her so often.

"He's easy to talk to. We can shoot the shit or talk about something serious, or just...talk about nothing at all, and I feel...happy."

She wouldn't tell that he was the only one she could really let go of the 'Commander' mask with. Even now, she was holding onto it, giving off the aura that she was always capable and ready for anything. Only with Garrus could she be weak, and yet not feel utterly vulnerable or like she was letting him down.

Tali's sigh broke her out of her thoughts of him and she saw the Quarian resting her head on her hand. "That sounds so nice..."

Jack snorted and tossed back a shot. "Yeah, so sweet it's giving my damned cavities. Wouldn't of thought Commander Goddamned Shepard would be the innocent love type."

Ashley just laughed and shrugged at that, returning to her drink as the conversation changed and Shepard grinned. Of course, she probably wouldn't tell them that the way he groaned her name when she touched that special spot beneath his fringe made her legs go weak, or that the indents at his hips were perfect for straddling him. Those were only for her.

* * *

"Okay, Scars, I gotta know...why a human? I mean, sure, it's Lola, and I think that sorta gal is probably attractive to pretty much everyone, but never seen a Turian with a thing for humans before."

Garrus's mandibles spread wide in shock at Vega's very forward question. Steve sighed, rubbing his temples.

"Do all our conversations have to revolve around sex?"

"Oh c'mon, Esteban! Of course they do! What, you think guys should sit around a table with alcohol and only talk about shuttle schematics?"

"No, but-"

"Exactly! So, sex it is! C'mon Scars, sock it to us."

Garrus scratched at his scarred mandible and tried looking for a way out. Unfortunately, there was none. So, he tried to think about what to say to get them off his back.

Should he say that he was head over heels for Shepard because of her tenacity, and that look she got in her eyes whenever she had a crazy plan that just might work? Or that she had this way of talking only to him that he could sit and listen to for hours on end, even if she was saying nothing at all? Perhaps he could tell him that he loved the way she smelled: gun metal, a hint of strawberry shampoo and something that he could only say was distinctly Shepard.

He could tell them that he loved the way she laughed, or that look of concentration she got whenever she was putting together a new model ship up in her cabin.

"...It's her hips, mostly."

James nodded sagely. "Yeah, she's got some really great hips that sway just right, y'know?"

The conversation immediately turned on Steve and some of his best conquests. It could never be said that James Vega gave a damn if conquests were male or female...so long as they were actual conquests.

Garrus chuckled. He was lucky that little tidbit would satisfy them...all those other things were just for Garrus to know and look out for.


End file.
